I hadn't heard from anyone on this forum about the Lenovo T540p or the W540, so I think I might have "goofed" and ordered the fully loaded T540p last night. I didn't feel right hitting the send button on the order because of all the negative feedback on how Lenovo's makeover on the T540p hasn't been very popular with long time Lenovo users. As a matter of fact, "after" ordering the laptop, I was able to watch several video critiques of both the T540p and the W540 and "none" of them had many good things to say about the laptops. One guy even shipped back his T540p after doing the video critique. It also sounds like Lenovo is going back to the much requested original trackpad and other features it changed after getting hammered on the new changes. Why re-invent the wheel? <g>

Now, I'm having "buyer's remorse" after placing the order (I can and most likely "will" cancel the order.), but I wanted to get your take and the other members' take on this site's forum on what would be a good, reliable substitute for the T540p and W540. I definitely need a lot of horsepower in a mobile work station for AutoCAD, SolidWorks and HD video editing, and if you look at the bottom of my previous post, you'll see the specs for what I'm looking for. I know you're probably busy finishing up your lastest URPC's, but if you have some time to answer this post fairly soon, that would be awesome. Also, I'm in the San Jose, CA area for the next few weeks on my "final" move to Montana, so I don't have your e-mail address. If you can send me an e-mail, that would be even better. <g> As always, I appreciate your input. Thanks Scott...

DaveInCampbell

Post subject: Re: Did I goof? <g>

Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2015 1:12 pm

Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2007 10:02 amPosts: 38

I just read the latest review for five (5) high end portable workstations. Scott, what is your take on these? Anyone else that has experience with these laptops, can you leave your input too? Thanks...

I "just" got off the phone with Lenovo, and guess what? Yep... the old trackpad is coming back... "and...." it's on the NEW W550s workstation laptop that "just" came out yesterday. The gal from Lenovo pressured me into getting the current T540p without even telling me that Lenovo has backtracked on the new trackpad and is now in the process of putting in the older type trackpad with the buttons on top of the pad. I just canceled my order for the T540p. The W550s is the newest workstation laptop, so I'll look into that machine right now. Good news for long time Lenovo users... you just have to be patient and wait until the latest models come out to get the older trackpad back... here's a link to the W550s with new 5th generation Intel CPU's...

Sorry for not responding earlier, but before this news I was seriously considering moving away from the ThinkPad line, something I hadn't even remotely considered for almost 20 years. That is how bad the "new" designs were on the T540 and W540 (NSFW anguage warning): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb7p3VkQCOo

I think you will be *very* happy that you cancelled your order for the T540p and hopefully will get either a T550 or W550 instead.

The previous T540/W540 ThinkPads were so bad that I had resigned to keeping my T520 going via CPU and SSD upgrades, and even possibly trying to find a used T530. I was then going to consider some of the other workstations from Dell and HP as they still had more traditional TrackPoint designs. However since Lenovo actually came to its senses at this point I don't see much reason to change, and will be looking into the T550/W550 myself. Scott.

DaveInCampbell

Post subject: Re: Did I goof? <g>

Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2015 2:25 am

Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2007 10:02 amPosts: 38

Hey Scott... glad to "hear" your voice again. <g>

I just checked the specs on the W540 vs. W550, and it looks like the W540 can have up to 32 GB of RAM vs. only 16 GB for the newer W550. Any reason why Lenovo cut back on the RAM? I'm hoping to be doing a lot of SolidWorks 3D work, AutoCAD Map 3D, Adobe Photoshop, & Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 (I agree with you about Adobe... they want to screw up a good relationship with its older customer base by force feeding us a subscription software, Adobe can go pound sand.) <g>

To me, all the RAM I can muster is a good thing, and the cost wasn't too bad with the W540... I'm just "not" going to buy a W540. You would think the W550 would offer the same configuration options as the W540. What's up with that?

Anyway... it sounds like you're a "happy man" again now that Lenovo came to its senses about the trackpad. <g> Okay... I'll check back on your take of the memory with the W550. Maybe it's a typo on Lenovo's website...

Scott

Post subject: Re: Did I goof? <g>

Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2015 1:25 pm

Site Admin

Joined: Sun Feb 04, 2007 11:44 amPosts: 6139

DaveInCampbell wrote:

Hey Scott... glad to "hear" your voice again. <g>

You too Dave!

Quote:

I just checked the specs on the W540 vs. W550, and it looks like the W540 can have up to 32 GB of RAM vs. only 16 GB for the newer W550. Any reason why Lenovo cut back on the RAM?

Technically the maximum RAM hasn't really changed, but what did change is the number of slots, from 4 down to 2. Since the largest currently available DDR3 SODIMMs are 8GB, you can only get to 16GB with 2 modules. Note that will change when 16GB modules become available, at which time the system should be upgradeable to 32GB.

The reason for the reduction in the number of memory module slots was almost certainly to reduce the overall size of the unit, as well as to increase battery life.

I'm curious as to how much memory you are you *really* using now. Try running your most memory intensive application/dataset and then use RAMMap to find out how much physical memory is really being used ("Active" according to RAMMAp). You may find that 16GB will actually be more than enough for even your most demanding applications, at least for now. Scott.

FascistNation

Post subject: Re: Did I goof? <g>

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2015 10:24 am

Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 10:50 amPosts: 508Location: Phoenix, AZ, USA

W541

DaveInCampbell

Post subject: Re: Did I goof? <g>

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2015 11:44 am

Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2007 10:02 amPosts: 38

Thanks Scott for the link to RAMMap. I'll download that and try it out. 16 GB is a lot of RAM, but from reading articles on HD video editing, it sounds like you can't have too much memory. <g>

Speaking of HD video editing...

What would be the ideal desktop machine for high end video editing, SolidWorks 3D CAD, high end graphics editing, etc.? I see a lot of third party PC makers like BOXX and a couple of other vendors use Intel Xeon based PC's. Are these machines easy to build, troubleshoot, and maintain? Do you have any build videos showing how to make up a two processor motherboard with 32 GB of RAM, possibly two video boards, etc.? I'd really like to build a powerful desktop that will work well into the future for large, memory intensive video & graphics. If you have any video training on this, I would buy it in a heartbeat. <g> How would a powerful machine like this compare to a Lenovo W550? Are the Core i7's powerful enough for this intensive computing & video rendering? Thanks Scott...

Scott

Post subject: Re: Did I goof? <g>

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2015 3:04 pm

Site Admin

Joined: Sun Feb 04, 2007 11:44 amPosts: 6139

Quote:

16 GB is a lot of RAM, but from reading articles on HD video editing, it sounds like you can't have too much memory. <g>

More RAM than is actually used doesn't hurt anything except your budget and (in the case of a laptop) maybe battery life, but it is good to know how much you are actually using to determine what is truly necessary.

In reference to FN mentioning the W541, that is indeed another option however it is basically identical to the W540 except for the TrackPoint buttons. Although it would allow up to 32GB RAM, it uses previous generation processor and video compared to the W550s. Because the W550s was designed to be slim it is limited to 2 memory slots (16GB for the present time) and has dual-core versions of the i7 processor. I would recommend waiting for an expected W550 (no "s") which should be the same form factor as the W541 and have more powerful processors, more RAM, etc.

Thanks for the great info. I REALLY like being able to print off these posts and keep the hard copies. It's like reading a book. <g> As always, I appreciate your attention to detail when you answer these posts. Great job!!! Do people even realize how valuable this site is?

tell me which one you are going to get. Because I would like to get a new laptop computer with windows 10.

Scott

Post subject: Re: Did I goof? <g>

Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 1:18 am

Site Admin

Joined: Sun Feb 04, 2007 11:44 amPosts: 6139

Quote:

Scott talk a look at this video about the T550 the guy pull out the battery and it still running or did I miss something.

You didn't miss anything, that is the new ThinkPad Power Bridge Technology. Basically it means that there is an internal 3-cell battery combined with an external 3 or 6-cell swappable battery. The swappable battery is always used first, giving one the opportunity to swap to a 2nd (or 3rd, etc.) pre-charged battery to continue working.

Quote:

tell me which one you are going to get. Because I would like to get a new laptop computer with windows 10.

So far I'd be leaning towards a W550 (no "s"), which unfortunately hasn't been introduced yet. Which is fine since I am in NO hurry to give up my beloved T520. Even though Lenovo has brought back the proper TrackPoint buttons, these new models still have a horrible new keyboard layout and lack some of the things I use all the time on my T520, including:

Note that I actually *use* all of the features above on my current T520, not to mention that I absolutely despise having to learn a new keyboard layout after 32 years. From the first ThinkPads in 1992 until the xx20 series in 2011 the keyboard layout remained largely unchanged. Now after all that time they expect people to change? Perhaps Lenovo doesn't understand that most of the people who use ThinkPads are professionals, mostly touch-typists for which moving important keys around will only make them less productive. They could have made improvements in the shape and action of the keys without changing the layout and removing useful keys. I am *not* impressed.

So while the return of the TrackPoint buttons no longer makes the changes in the new ThinkPads a complete deal-breaker for me, I am loath to give up one of the last truly good ones they made... Scott.

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